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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: field · current · patient · rest · mouse · mark · rush · bound

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rest — a break
  3. bound — certain
  4. field — for sport
  5. current — happening now
  6. field — a subject
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rest — what's left
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rush — hurry
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mark — a trace
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. current — electric
  19. bound — obliged
  20. field — farmland
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rest — what's left
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com